Britain will add 400 more troops in Iraq to step up the training of local security forces, bringing the total to 8,500, the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) news reported Wednesday.

It will be part of a routine rotation that will see 12 mechanized brigade take over from four armored brigade as lead British formation in the country, Defense Secretary John Reid announced.

Reid said increased training of Iraqi forces would help them take "ever greater responsibility" for security.

"The reason for this small increase is in order to allow greater effort to be put into the training, development and monitoring of the Iraqi security forces," Reid said in a written statement for the House of Commons.

"This will enable them to take on ever greater responsibility for their own security and so pave the way for UK troops to withdraw."

Britain has been one of the largest contributors of troops to the coalition of more than 30 countries that has taken part in military operations in Iraq, second only to the United States.

British troops hold command of Multinational Division South- East, which is headquartered in Basra.

Some 87 British servicemen have been killed during and after the war that began on 20 March 2003.

Source: Xinhua